LEGO and Kodak: Innovation Isn’t Just for Startups
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Meta description: Even established brands like LEGO and Kodak are proving that innovation is alive and well, finding new ways to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Innovation often feels like the domain of disruptive startups, but a closer look reveals that even companies with decades of history can reinvent themselves. Two compelling examples – LEGO and Kodak – demonstrate that innovation isn’t about abandoning the past, but building upon it.
LEGO’s “Magical” New Play Experience
For generations, LEGO bricks have been a staple of childhood, fostering creativity and imagination. But the iconic toy company isn’t resting on its laurels. On January 6th, LEGO announced LEGO SMART Play™ at CES 2026, a system poised to redefine interactive play.
At the heart of this innovation is the SMART Brick,packed with technology including sensors,accelerometers,light and sound elements. The launch “brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen.” LEGO is collaborating with Disney and Lucasfilm on three initial ‘All-In-One’ sets – the Red Wing X-Wing, the Darth Vader TIE Fighter™, and the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing™ – available starting March 1st, featuring SMART Bricks, Tags, and Minifigures that respond to actions with sounds and behaviors.
Rotem Rusak of nerdist observed that LEGO SMART Play doesn’t attempt to fundamentally change LEGO, but rather to enhance the existing play experience. “this is truly a beatiful way to use technology,” she wrote,”The LEGO Group is putting technological advancements to work to bolster something that is already so good,rather than trying to rewrite or erase it.”
Kodak’s Unexpected Comeback
The story of Kodak is a starkly different, yet equally inspiring, tale of reinvention. While many assumed the photography giant had faded into obsolescence, headlines in 2025 proclaimed Kodak the “comeback king.” Reviews lauded the Kodak PIXPRO C1 as the “hottest camera of the year.”
Once the “Apple of its day,” Kodak struggled to adapt to the rise of digital and mobile photography. Though, the company has found renewed success by focusing on its roots: affordable, user-friendly compact cameras. As one analyst explained, Kodak is revitalizing its fortunes by betting big on its ultra-cheap PixPro line.
Chris Gampat of The Phoblographer described the PIXPRO C1 as “so much like the early iPhone if it was stuffed into a camera body,” emphasizing its simplicity and accessibility. He further noted, “Photography doesn’t need to be that serious all the time…The Kodak PIXPRO C1 is a wonderful reminder of that in a time when the world around us is burning.” The Kodak PixPro FZ55 was even named the best-selling camera of the year by Japanese retailer Map Camera, and the company has expanded its reach through a prosperous global licensing program.
Despite these gains, Kodak’s financial future isn’t entirely secure. Second quarter 2025 results raised concerns about the company’s ability to meet its debt obligations, though subsequent results offered a more optimistic outlook. Still, Kodak’s ability to innovate by leveraging its brand and understanding customer needs is remarkable.
Innovation Beyond the Hype
These two examples – LEGO and Kodak – offer a powerful lesson: innovation doesn’t always require cutting-edge technology or a complete overhaul of a business model. It can be about enhancing existing strengths,understanding customer desires,and building upon a legacy. Not everything has to be AI, involve screens, or include the latest tech. Here’s to innovations that, as Ms. Rusak says, “work to bolster something that is already so good, rather than trying to rewrite or erase it.”
